HARVESTING METHODS OF COASTAL INDIANS

CALIFORNIA INDIANS INCLUDED ONLY A PORTION OF A PLANT SO THAT IT COULD REJUVENATE AGAIN. ALGAE AND FUNGI DID NOT EXCEED THE POPULATION'S CAPACITY TO RECOVER. THEY GATHERED FRUITS, BRANCHES, LEAVES, FLOWERS, CORMS, AND STEMS THAT COULD BE GATHERED YEAR AFTER YEAR WITH HARM TO THE PLANT.

SEAWEEDS SUCH AS LAVER WERE HARVESTED BY LIGHTLY PULLING THEM FROM ROCKS BY HAND, LEAVING THE HOLDFAST AND MAT THAT REGROWS BLADES. PORPHYRA IS AN ANNUAL AND WILL BE REPLACED VIA SPORE SETTLEMENT ANNUALLY. GRAPESTONE IS A LONG LIVED PERENNIAL AND WAS PICKED SO THE ALGAE WOULD GROW BACK. APPARENTLY THE HAWAIIAN HARVESTING OF SEAWEED HAS EVIDENCE FOR ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY. THE MIWOKS TAUGHT THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT MUSHROOM HARVESTING. THEY MUST NOT DISTURB THE MYCELIA UNDER THE MUSHROOMS TO ENSURE FUTURE HARVEST.

ELSIE ALLEN WROTE IN HER BOOK , POMO BASKETMAKING, THAT WHEN GATHERING WHITE ROOT OR CAREX OR SEDGE, IT IS NECCESARY TO LEAVE 1/2 OF RHYSOMES TO REPRODUCE. THE WASHOE TEAR THE LEAVES OF ASPEN ONION WITH THEIR FINGERNAILS OR TWO INCHES FROM THE GROUND, LEAVING SOME OF THE PLANT TO GO TO SEED. THE YOKUTS HARVEST BRODEIAS, YAMPAHS AND LILIES, LEAVINGPARENT PLANTS OR BULBLETS BEHIND TO REPRODUCE.

DURING HISTORICAL TIMES, PLAINS AND SIERRA MIWOK MEN CLIMB GRAY PINES FOR HARVESTING THEIR NUTS. THEY USE SPLICED POLES LONG ENOUGH TO REACH 40' UP. ONE OR MORE MEN HOLD THE POLE WHILE WHILE AN EXPERT CLIMBER ASCENDS AND BEATS SOME OF THE CONES WITH A POLE. THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PASS UP SOME PLANTS OR CONES TO ENSURE FUTURE ABUNDANCE. WILD POTATOES ARE GATHERED , AND THEY ONLY COLLECT THE SMALL BULBS NOT THE "MOTHER BULB". CALIFORNIA INDIANS HAD A DIFFERENT CONCEPT OF OWNERSHIP OF LAND.

CALIFORNIA INDIANS HAD A DIFFERENT CONCEPT OF OWNERSHIP OF LAND. IF THEY USED AND TENDED AN AREA IT BECAME THE DOMAIN OF THE GATHERER OR PERSON WHO TENDED THE LAND. THIS IS CALLED USUFRUCT RIGHTS WHERE EVERY FAMILY HAD RIGHTS TO CERTAIN RESOURCES. THE POMO DESCRIBED OWNERSHIP OF LARGE OAK TREES ON THE FLAT VALLEY THAT WERE PRIVATELY OWNED, WHILE THOSE ON THE HILLS WERE FOR THE VILLAGE. EXTENDED FAMILIES FREQUENTED THE SAME STANDS OF DIFFERENT OAKS FOR MANY GENERATIONS. THEY PASSED DOWN THE KNOWLEDGE OF PRESERVING LAND AND MANAGING IT TO THE YOUNG. THESE INDIANS USED CERTAIN SHRUBS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BECAUSE THE FRUIT WAS SWEETER, AND THE TREES BORE LESS BITTER ACORNS.

THEY HAD SPECIAL AREAS DESIGNATED FOR BASKETRY CORDAGE AND ROOTS. THESE WERE DESIGNATED FOR CONTINUAL AND LONG TERM USE. THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR FISHING SITES. NARROW LEAVED WILLOW AND SEDGE AREAS WERE USED REPEATEDLY. THE YOKUTS HAD TRADITIONAL AREAS FOR PICKING BERRIES AND SEEDS FROM THE SAME PLACE ON WHICH THEIR PRIVATE OAK TREE OR MANZANITA BUSH WAS. THEY TIED A PIECE OF BRUSH TO IT OR STAKED IT. THEY HAD FAMILY THAT THEY WENT TO YEAR AFTER YEAR. THEY DIDN'T OWN THE AREAS BUT THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO PRODUCE ACORNS.

KAT ANDERSON